In order to provide telephone service for local distribution (such as an individual home), it is necessary to tap into a multiconductor telecommunications cable which is typically run outdoors, either above or underground. The telephone industry currently employs connector blocks to establish such connection. Connector blocks of this type electrically terminate a group of conductors of the telecommunications cable fed thereto by a multiconductor stub cable. The conductors of the stub cable are electrically connected to drop wires which establish electrical service to the local distribution.
Examples of connector blocks currently being used in the telephone industry are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,449,777; 4,652,071; 4,826,449, and 4,846,721. Each of these patents describes a connector block including an elongate housing. The housing includes a plurality of electrical contacts fixed in the housing. Each contact connects a conductor of the stub cable to an individual drop wire. Individual caps or covers are supported over each contact, or pairs of contacts, to support the drop wires and to environmentally protect the connection thereto.
The devices of each of the above identified patents provide a given number of electrical contacts in fixed position in the housing. The drop wire must be inserted into the connector block in a given distribution for every installation.